As we celebrate the winter season with our family and friends, it is a good time to keep in mind the effects of the winter weather and how to keep ourselves safe in the snowy conditions. For instance, always wear sunglasses during the day to protect your eyes from the glare that could put you and others in danger, especially when you’re driving.
Walking:
- When it comes to walking, remember that if you are walking at night, it is best to wear outer clothing that stands out from the white of the snow.
- Remember to walk carefully and slowly, and be sure wear appropriate footwear with a good tread in order to avoid slipping and potentially hurting yourself badly.
Bicycling:
- Even if you are an avid cyclist, it is best to avoid cycling on ice or snow, so wait it out until the snow has melted or has been cleared.
- When you do bicycle, it is important to check and make sure that your gears and brakes are clear of ice and dirt.
Driving:
- Give yourself more travel time: You never can tell if there will be more road hazards due to storms.
- Tire maintenance: It’s important to make sure that your tires are rotated and aligned, and inspect your tires for uneven wear, cupping, and proper tread depth. Where winter weather is severe, you may consider using snow tires.
- Keep your tank at least half full whenever possible because empty tanks collect condensation, damaging the engine.
- Only drive when necessary: Taking a metro or bus transit is a good alternative to driving. But, if you really must drive, it is vital to maintain safe speeds and to drive very cautiously when there is snow on the road.
- Be aware of hazardous conditions: Winter brings lower air temperatures, fewer daylight hours, lack of visibility, falling snow, and icy roads, so driving in these hazardous conditions is more challenging.
- Keep these items in your car at all times: It is recommended that you keep an ice scraper, shovel, and gloves as well as an extra heavy jacket at all times in your vehicle. Because winter weather increases the chances of getting into an accident, you should have an emergency kit in your car with items like flares, medical supplies, jumper cables, batteries, tire chains, and a flashlight as well as snacks and blankets for comfort.
- Remove all debris and use special wiper blades: You’re in for more dangerous driving when snow, ice, and fog diminish your vision’s clarity. This creates dangerous driving conditions, so you want to remember to remove all debris from your windows, outside mirrors, and windshield before embarking on your journey. There are special wiper blades that are suited for snow because they are designed to distribute even pressure for a clearer wipe, maximizing your line of vision. You can purchase them through www.tricoproducts.com.
Tips from AAA Exchange:
- Avoid driving while you’re fatigued.
- Never warm your vehicle in an enclosed area, such as the garage
- Make sure your tires are inflated properly
- Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface
- Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze up
- Accelerate and decelerate slowly – it takes longer to slow down on icy roads
- Drive slowly
- Don’t power up hills because applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning.
These tips and others will help, but the best thing is to stay home if you really don’t have to go out. Keep these safety tips in mind, and you will have a safer journey and be able to enjoy the season in its white and snowy splendor.
The information in this article was collected from Utica Weather (NBC-WKTV News Channel 2) and AAA Exchange. Check out these sites for more tips on how to travel safely in the snow.